Welcome to "Every Day with Christ." This is a space to share thoughts and insights about following Christ in everyday life. I will post Bible verses, personal experiences, and pictures. I hope that you will be inspired to share stories of how Christ is working in your everyday life.

Friday, April 20, 2007

Putting the Lord's Lessons into Action

By Charlotte LowrieSince I posted the article, Refined During Times of Testing, a work opportunity came up to test the lessons that I’ve learned in the past two months. This week, I received a call asking if I would help with a project that was in a jam. The call was from a company I’d worked with for years, so I had some loyalty to them. The good part was that the pay would be nice. The bad part was that the project would ‘silently’ violate a non-conflict contract that I signed with another company. To get around this, the person explained that no one would know that I worked on the project, and, thus no one would know that the contract was violated. Before I could say no, the person asked me to think about it, to sleep on it, and to call back the next day.

Knowing that I would refuse, I mentally reviewed the telephone conversation as I showered, and then I came downstairs to pray. I was anxious to get the Lord's insight. Precise Words that Ring True

The Lord’s message was that I don’t have to take every project that comes my way. Instead, I should take the work that He sends to me: And I will recognize that work because it will be “pure and guileless.”

I thought about the words of the message. Certainly, I’d heard the word “guileless” from reading the Bible and from childhood sermons. But I had only a vague sense of what the word meant. The dictionary was close by, so I looked up “guile.” Here is a summary of the most applicable definitions. Guile: insidious, treacherous, cunning, deceit. A trick; stratagem. Wow! That described the situation perfectly. I had always thought of “guile” as being an old-fashioned King-James-type of word that I usually brushed over. Obviously, I was wrong.

While I was at it, I looked up the word “pure.” Here is a summary of the applicable definitions. Pure: free from adulterants or impurities; . . . Free from dirt, defilement, or pollution; clean. Containing nothing inappropriate or extraneous.

It struck me again how the Lord uses language not only concisely, but also with a razor-sharp precision that leaves no room for questions. And Mark 4:22 (NIV) also leaves no room for questions. “For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought into the open.”

The Lord's insight was what I wanted, and He provided it again. I was happy to turn down the offer the next day.

To Accept Jesus as Your Savior

There is only one way to gain life-changing joy and peace in your life, and that is by accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior. To accept Christ as your Savior, pray this prayer.
“Lord, I am a sinner. I believe that Jesus died for my sins on the cross and rose from the grave. I turn away from my sins. I ask You to forgive me and to be my Savior. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
If you prayed this prayer, the next step is to find a Christian church and tell the pastor about your faith in Jesus. The church can guide you through baptism and your joyous growth in Christ.

Contact

Our Hope Is in Him

(c) Charlotte Lowrie

An Invitation to Contribute

If you have experiences from your walk with Christ that you'd like to share, please e-mail me your story. I can then post your text. All posts and articles are reviewed to ensure appropriateness for this forum. You can e-mail me at charlotte@everydaywithchrist.com.

John 8: 12 (NIV)

"...I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

Live the Resurrection!

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Psalm 84:10-11 (NIV)

"Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere;
I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.
For the Lord God is a sun and shield; the Lord bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless."

About Me

Matthew 28: 19-20 (NIV)

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."